Ulster finished their disappointing European Champions Cup season in downbeat fashion as Bordeaux-Begles secured a hard-earned but deserved 26-22 victory at the Kingspan Stadium.

“We are going into a very noisy stadium, a real cauldron, and we have to be ready for the welcome we’ll undoubtedly get, but we are looking forward to the return game, and go to France determined to get the win we need to keep our quarter-final hopes alive.”

Ulster 39 Clermont 32: Ulster has enjoyed some spectacular victories in Europe but, surely, none can have matched this lunchtime encounter for excitement, unpredictability and high-class rugby.

A last-minute World Cup return by Steffon Armitage would have been “disruptive” for England, according to Jonny Wilkinson.

Having backed Toulon and Clermont to produce a decent spectacle in the European Champions Cup final, I’m glad to say we weren’t disappointed.

Maybe there will have to be a law against Toulon, one denouncing them as bad for business because they are too good for everyone else.

TOULON 24 CLERMONT AUVERGNE 18: Be careful what you wish for.

Toulon made rugby union history at Twickenham as they clinched a hat-trick of European titles by defeating fellow French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne 24-18 in the Champions Cup final.

The denouement of the maiden European Champions Cup has arrived and for the third year in succession, there is no Irish interest in the final of the continent’s showpiece competition.

France star Wesley Fofana scored the game’s solitary try just after half-time as French heavyweights Clermont prevailed 13-9 against Saracens to reach their second European final in three seasons.

Clermont Auvergne 27 Northampton Saints 5: Nick Abendanon hopes his stellar evening against Northampton has offered England additional reason to soften their stance on selecting overseas-based players.

Clermont Auvergne 26 Munster 19

Munster have built a reputation on delivering big performances when they’re least expected, and to survive the type of examination they were to get yesterday at the Stade Marcel Michelin, nothing less than a season’s best would suffice, writes Donal Lenihan.

Clermont Auvergne produced a powerhouse performance at Thomond Park to beat Munster 16-9 and take over at the top of the European Rugby Champions Cup’s Pool One.

Never let it be said that the French don’t do hyperbole. Above the match analysis and the regulation quotes, the rugby newspaper Midi-Olympique has chosen to headline Clermont’s trip to Thomond Park: "Aux Portes de l’Enfer", At the Gates of Hell.

Jonathan Sexton kicked 16 points as Racing Metro defeated Benetton Treviso 26-10 at Stadio Comunale di Mongio.

Wingers Chris Ashton and David Strettle propelled Saracens to a 30-23 bonus point victory over Clermont in their Champions Cup grudge match at Allianz Park.

Gloucester have identified the individual who threw a plastic bottle at referee Tim Wigglesworth in Saturday’s stormy west country derby against Bath as a schoolboy.

Northern Barbarians 31 England 57

England will field a completely changed side in their tour match against South Africa’s Southern Barbarians in Kimberley on Wednesday.

Hendre Fourie has replaced Joe Worsley in the England squad to play Italy in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham after proving he has recovered from a calf strain.

IF the England Saxons expected to neuter the Wolfhounds at a gale-lashed Ravenhill last night they were in for a big surprise, as they were cut down to size in no uncertain terms.

IRISH WOLFHOUNDS’ coach Eric Elwood hopes his side will have learned valuable lessons from their humbling defeat to Scotland A when they square up to England Saxons at Ravenhill tonight (7.30pm).

WALES coach Warren Gatland says the door is not closed on Martyn Williams’ international career and he has not ruled out Gavin Henson featuring in the World Cup selection shake-up, despite omitting both players from his 28-man Six Nations squad.

Biarritz 26 Bath 19

Louis Deacon has been recalled to the England squad for the RBS 6 Nations as a replacement for banned Gloucester lock Dave Attwood.

Bath 22 Ulster 26

Johann Muller will captain Ulster for Saturday’s Heineken Cup game with Bath at Ravenhill (kick-off 1.30pm).

Aironi 6 Bath 22

Springbok Luke Watson has been immediately installed as Bath captain for their pre-season match against Heineken Cup group rivals Ulster at Ravenhill this evening (K.O. 7.30pm).

Ben Foden has revealed that Northampton’s ambitious young England contingent are eager to use the Heineken Cup to forge their reputations.

Edinburgh 9 Bath 6

Bath 16 Edinburgh 9

Coach Steve Meehan and captain Michael Claassens will plot the way forward for Bath against Ulster in the Heineken Cup at Ravenhill tomorrow night.

FELIX JONES gave a virtuoso performance than suggested Leinster’s loss may be Munster’s gain as Ireland A produced a shock maiden Churchill Cup victory in some style last night.

JERRY FLANNERY and Ronan O’Gara will be cheering on their biggest rivals in the Heineken Cup final, claiming that a Leinster victory would put the seal on a season when Irish rugby ranked alongside the best in the world.

THOSE harbouring ambitions of playing a part in the RBS 6 Nations will be hoping to impress their respective national coaches in tonight’s intriguing Ireland A-England Saxons tie at Donnybrook (kick-off 7.35pm).

DANNY CIPRIANI is one of six capped players named in the England Saxons side to face Ireland A at Donnybrook. The Wasps fly-half was sent down to the Saxons by Martin Johnson earlier this week in the hope of him rediscovering some of his form, away from the pressures of the 6 Nations.

Danny Cipriani is one of six capped players named in the England Saxons side to face Ireland A at Donnybrook.

Danny Cipriani has been promoted to England’s elite squad ahead of the Investec autumn internationals as a replacement for injured fly-half Jonny Wilkinson.

BUTCH JAMES insists Bath will learn from their last-gasp Heineken Cup defeat away to Toulouse yesterday.

Toulouse 18 Bath 16

England Saxons 34 Ireland A 12

BATH captain Steve Borthwick hailed “a mammoth effort” from his team after they ended their 10-year wait for a major trophy.